Articles by Dianne Depra
Christmas Miracle: 5-Month-Old Infant Finds Organ Match In 40 Minutes, Successfully Undergoes Liver Transplant
Daniel McCabe and his family just received what could be the best Christmas gift ever. The 5-month-old only had to wait 40 minutes after going on the United Network of Organ Sharing list to match with a liver donor.
Biogen’s Spinraza Receives FDA Approval, Becomes First Drug For Spinal Muscular Atrophy
The United States now has its first spinal muscular atrophy drug. The FDA has approved Biogen’s Spinraza (nusinersen) on Dec. 23 as treatment for the rare and often fatal genetic disease affecting both children and adults.
FDA Fast-Tracks Approval For Advanced Ovarian Cancer Drug Rucaparib
A new ovarian cancer treatment has been approved by the FDA. Rubraca (rucaparib) for women diagnosed with a certain type of advanced ovarian cancer received accelerated approval from the agency.
Patients Treated By Female Doctors Have Lower Mortality, Readmission Rates: Study
Elderly patients treated by female doctors are less likely to die or be readmitted, a study has found. This highlighted an interest in how female doctors treat in an effort to offer better outcomes to all patients.
Researchers Uncover Potential Reason Why COPD Patients Lose Ability To Repair Lung Damage On Their Own
COPD patients lose the ability to repair lung damage as their disease progresses. Researchers now know why and how this happens exactly, taking a step closer to developing new COPD treatment.
Turning Off Fat Protein Improves Blood Sugar, Reduces Body Fat: Study
Fatty liver disease and obesity typically coincide. Now, researchers have found that turning off a protein in liver and fat tissues can have a hand in improving blood sugar levels and reducing body fat.
Runners Have Greater Functional Connectivity In Their Brains, Says Study
Running is a great way to keep the body healthy. Now, researchers have discovered that the physical activity also imparts advantages for the brain by offering greater functional connectivity.
Cholesterol-fighting Statins Lower Alzheimer’s Disease Risk: Study
Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol levels but researchers have also discovered that the drug also holds potential as treatment to lower risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Having More Social Connections Ups Breast Cancer Survival Rates
A large study has found that breast cancer patients with more social connections have higher chances of survival. Everything truly is better when you’re with friends.
Winds Of Rubies And Sapphires: Powerful Winds Detected On Gas Giant Outside The Solar System For The First Time
Researchers have observed powerful winds for the first time in a gas planet located outside of the solar system. The winds brewing in HAT-P-7b contain a mineral that forms rubies and sapphires.
Testimonial Warning Labels On Tobacco Products More Effective At Motivating Attempts To Quit Smoking: TCORS Report
Warning labels are there to deter smoking. However, researchers have found that testimonial warning labels are better than text-based ones in motivating smokers to quit.
NASA Cancels Launch For Eight Microsatellites Designed To Better Forecast Hurricanes
NASA's CYGNSS mission launch was cancelled after pump problems arose. Teaming up with Orbital ATK, the space agency would have launched eight microsatellites into orbit Dec. 12 in an effort to better understand and forecast hurricanes.
Food-Borne Bacterium From Improperly Cooked Chicken Found To Cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Researchers have found that improperly cooked chicken meat contain a bacterium that can cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Their findings also hinted at how treating the autoimmune condition can be improved.
Scalp-Cooling Cap Reduces Hair Loss In Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy
Hair loss adds emotional stress to cancer patients, especially women. Researchers tested a scalp-cooling device and found the cap effective at reducing hair loss in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, addressing this concern.
Researchers Mix Graphene And ‘Silly Putty’ To Create Sensors Sensitive Enough To Detect Spider Footsteps
Silly Putty may be a kid’s toy, but upgrade it with some graphene and it turns into a highly sensitive material that can be used to build sensors for various applications.
High-Fat Diet Found To Fuel Cancer Metastasis By Feeding Cancer-Spreading Protein
A high-fat diet has been associated with negative health effects before but researchers have also now linked fatty meals to increased chances of metastasis in various cancer types.
Unique ‘Flashing Light Therapy’ Holds Promise As New Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment
MIT researchers have devised a unique flashing light therapy that holds a lot of potential as a treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease patients, utilizing a strip of LED lights to induce certain brain changes.
C-Section Births May Be Influencing Human Evolution
Sometimes, babies and mothers need help during delivery. C-sections do a lot to improve the well-being of babies and mothers but researchers are saying the procedure also has a hand in human evolution.
What Makes Your Voice Yours? Researchers Investigate How To Characterize And Quantify Voice Quality
Every person has their own voice. Researchers set out characterizing and quantifying voice quality to determine what it is exactly that makes your voice your own.
Water Should Be Boiling But Turns Solid Instead In Carbon Nanotubes
Inside the confines of carbon nanotubes, water behaves differently. According to researchers, this unusual behavior gives rise to unusual applications like ice-filled wires that are highly conductive.
Astronomers Propose Low-Mass Supernova May Have Triggered The Formation Of The Solar System
How did the solar system form? According to some astronomers, it all began when a dust and gas cloud was disturbed, a process possibly triggered by a low-mass supernova.
New Stars Discovered In Milky Way Core: Discovery Sheds New Light On Globular Clusters, How The Galaxy Formed
A new family of stars has been discovered in the core of the Milky Way as part of a project carried out through the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The discovery offered new insights on how the galaxy was formed.
Variable, Not Constant: Speed Of Light Theory Challenging Einstein’s Physics Can Now Be Tested
Physics laws follow the idea that speed of light is constant but two researchers think differently. Now, these researchers have come up with a way to numerically predict that speed of light is variable, allowing their theory to be tested.
First Thanksgiving Site Discovered: Researchers Uncover Evidence Of Original 1620 Plymouth Settlement
Researchers have discovered the site of the original Plymouth Colony that pilgrims founded in 1620. The discovery offers insight into settlement life and colonial history.
Scientists Discover Mechanism In Potent Antibody Capable Of Neutralizing Zika Infection
Researchers have uncovered how a potent antibody is able to neutralize the Zika virus and prevent an infection from taking place. The discovery holds potential as a treatment target in the fight against Zika.
Black Friday Store Hours 2016: Opening And Closing Times For Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Staples, Kohl's, JCPenney, KMart, Lowe's, Macy's And More
There’s always a mad dash for stores when Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday come around because of the awesome holiday deals they bring. Make sure you know those store hours so you don’t miss out on anything!
Researchers Develop Low-Cost, Wearable ‘Lab On The Skin’ To Analyze Sweat For Health Monitoring
Sweat contains a number of chemicals that can give clues about the body’s physiological state. Researchers developed a 'lab on the skin' device that analyzes sweat for health monitoring.
Palliative Care Improves Quality Of Life And Survival, Lessens Patient Symptoms: Study
Palliative care has been found to improve quality of life and survival rates and lessen symptoms for patients with serious illness. Researchers are pushing to have palliative care offered as a standard health care practice, not merely as an add-on.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2016: What Time, Route, Performers Line-Up, Where To Watch
Macy’s Thanskgiving Day Parade 2016 is upon us! Here’s how and where you can watch the parade and who will be performing in the annual event.
Faintest Dwarf Satellite Galaxy In The Milky Way Discovered
Researchers just discovered the faintest dwarf satellite galaxy in the Milky Way. Called Virgo I, the dwarf satellite galaxy is believed to hint at the presence of more in the Milky Way.
